The Search for Abhijeet
by visrom
Summary: Abhijeet meets with an accident and reaches a remote village, injured and unable to move. There's a major crime about to happen and he has to stop it. How does he inform his team?


This was written for the Story contest on IF, but it wasn't according to the given theme, so I changed it a bit. The basic idea was that Abhijeet was injured and immobile in a remote area without mobile connection.

 **The search for Abhijeet**

 **PART - 1**

 **Scene : A remote village**

Abhijeet heard voices...'pata nahi kaun hai'...'sheher se lagta hai'...'iski kismat achi thi ki zinda bach gaya'...

He opened his eyes, but everything was dark. He could see a tiny kerosene lamp in the corner of the room and hear the sound of heavy rain and thunder. He struggled to get up but there was a shooting pain in his back and he fell back on what looked like a bed. Aah' he shouted.

The men standing outside walked in.

Elderly man: Baid ji (village doc, usually Ayurvedic) ne kaha hai ki haddi tooti hai. Tumhe lete rehna hai.

Abhijeet: main kahan hoon...aap log kaun hai?

Man: Main yahan ka mukhiya (senior villager, respected by everyone) Shankar Dikshit hoon. Yeh Mandangad gaon hai. Tum kaun ho?

Abhijeet: M..mera naam Abhijeet hai. Main...(decided not to say that he's a cop) Mumbai se hoon. Main...yahan kaise pohoncha?

Shankar: humare gaon ka machwara Pandu macchi pakadke waapas laut raha tha toh dekha ki tumhari gaadi khai mein giri padi hai. Phir hum sab ne badi mushkil se tumhe gaadi se nikaala aur yahan le aaye.

Abhijeet: Shukriya...(deep breath) aapke paas koi phone hai? M..Mujhe apne t..team ko bataana hai ki main yahan hoon.

Shankar: Post office mein ek phone hai lekin baarish ki wajah se 3-4 dinn se woh bandh padi hai.

Abhijeet:Nahi...mm...mera matlab koi m..mobile phone nahi hai aapke paas?

Shankar: Haha...woh toh sirf TV mein dikhate hai..humare gaon mein aaj tak kisi bhi mobile company ne tower nahi lagaaya. Bhushan ka beta bohot pyar se apne maa-baap ke liye khareedkar laya tha, lekin woh yahan se 15 km door Akola gaon mein hi kaam karta hai.

Abhijeet: Toh main apne team ko kaise bataaonga ki main yahan hoon? Woh pareshaan ho rae honge.

Shankar: filhaal kuch nahi ho sakta. Tum pehle theek ho jaao, tab tak post office ka phone bhi theek ho ayega.

Abhijeet: Post office ka phone? Matlab aap logon ke paas koi phone nahi hai?

Shankar: Yeh ek chota gaon hai, beta. Yahan sab log usi phone se kaam chala lete hain. Hume kisi aur phone ki zaroorat nahi padi.

2 men walk in.

Shankar: Chalo, baid ji waapas aa gaye. Woh tumhare kamar ka ilaaj karenge.

Abhijeet looks at the crushed leaves and oils the baid' was carrying: Ilaaj? Yeh ilaaj karenge?

Shankar: humare gaon mein koi aspatal (hospital) nahi hai. Yahan baidji ke aushadhiyon se hi sabka ilaaj hota hai.

Abhijeet: Aushadhi! mujhe bohot dard ho rahi hai...please aap mujhe kisi hospital le jayiye...X Ray nikalwana hai.

Shankar: Bada aspataal toh yahan se 50 km ki doori par hai...aur baarish ki wajah se road bandh hai. Tum ab wahan nahi ja sakte.

Baid ji: Aap chinta mat karo...main 4-5 dinn mein aapke kamar ko theek kar doonga.

The Baid called his assistants, brought out his hot oil and crushed some leaves which smelt of eucalyptus mixed with some other strong odours. The assistants helped turn Abhijeet onto his back and started their treatment'. Abhijeet's brain went numb...into another world...the previous time he had been in so much pain was when he was kidnapped by goons and left to die in the boot of a car.

 **Flashback (one day back)**

 **Scene : Hotel in Goa.**

Abhijeet(picks his phone): Haan, Daya?

Daya: ACP sir ne kaha hai ki aaj shaam tak saboot milna chahiye warna Kumar ko chodna padega.

Abhijeet: Mujhe saboot mil gayi hai. Kumar yahan bohot baar Reena ke saath aaya tha. Yahan ke hotels se mujhe CCTV ke footage bhi mile hain. Maine use pen drive mein save kiya hai. Kumar jaanta hai Reena ko. Chodna mat use.

Daya: Lekin woh maanne ko tayyar hi nahi hai.

Abhijeet: Yeh footage dekhega toh use sach ko manna hi padega.

Daya: Theek hai. Shaan tak waapas aao, warna us Chitroley ko toh tum jaante hi ho...

Abhijeet: Haan...main bas nikal raha hoon.

Abhijeet packed his stuff and the pen drive and called the bell boy to pick his luggage. The bell boy arrived when Abhijeet was having one last look at the CCTV footage on his pen drive through an OTG cable on his phone.

Bell Boy: Sir, mujhe aapse kuch kehna hai.

Abhijeet: Kya?

Bell Boy: Sir, aap jiska video dekh rahe hain, maine uss madam ko kuch dinn pehle yahan dekha tha...aap unka video kyon dekh rahe hain?

Abhijeet(instead of answering): Tumne ise dekha? Kya kar rahi thi yahan?

Bell Boy: Sir, kuch din pehle, inke saath jo aadmi hai unse milne kuch log aaye the. Kuch gunde type ke log.

Abhijeet: Achcha? Phir?

Bell Boy: Woh log room no 205 mein baithkar baatein kar rahe the aur yeh madam chupkar baahar se unki baatein sunn rahi thi.

Abhijeet: Phir?

Bell Boy: Phir achanak yeh aadmi bahar aaya aur madam ko dekh liya. Usne madam ko 203 mein le jaakar muh par patti baandhkar bandh kar diya.

Abhijeet: Tumne yeh sab dekha?

Bell Boy: Haan sir.

Abhijeet: Aur uss aadmi ne tumhe nahi dekha?

Bell Boy: Nahi sir. Main corridor ke beech mein jo store room hai, wahan chup gaya.

Abhijeet: Phir?

Bell Boy: Phir thodi der baad main master key lekar andar gaya ...unhe bachane. Lekin unhone mana kiya aur kaha ki unke phone mein ek video hai...use police ko dikha do. Aur unhone mujhe ek video whatsapp mein fwd kiya.

Abhijeet: Tumhe whatsapp istemaal karna aata hai?

Bell Boy: Haan sir...

Abhijeet: Kya vide hai...zara dikhao...

The Bell boy shows a video which Reena had shot while hiding behind the door of room 205, through a very narrow opening. Minister Jai Kishan was seated and so was Kumar. A couple of goons were visible as they walked across. The word 21 July was audible Then Jai Kishan handed over a bag to one of the goons and suddenly someone noticed Reena near the door and she stopped recording.

Abhijeet: Phir kya hua?

Bell Boy: Phir uss madam ne mujhe wahan se bhaag jaane ko kaha.

Abhijeet: Aur tum bhaag gaye?

Bell Boy: Haan sir...

Abhijeet: Tumhe seedha police ke paas jaana chahiye tha...jaante ho...iss ladki ka khoon hua hai.

Bell Boy: Sir main darr gaya tha...hotel manager ko bataaya toh unhone mujhe apna muh bandh rakhne ko kaha...

Abhijeet(gives an angry frustrated look.): Uske baad tumhe uss madam ko dekha?

Bell Boy: Nahi sir. Subah mera shift khatam ho gaya aur main ghar chala gaya. Agle dinn pata chala ki in sab logon ne check out kiya hai.

Abhijeet went to room no 203, requested the guests to allow him to check if there was any evidence left over by the cleaning staff. He couldn't find any, except the video sent by the bell boy. It didn't make much sense, but he knew that there was something going to happen on July 21 which was a week away. He decided to return to Mumbai and interrogate Jai Kishan and Kumar about it.

He checked out, got into his car and started off for Mumbai.

The hotel manager asked the Bell Boy what he was talking to the customer for such a long time. The Bell boy told him that it was about the lady who was tied up in room no 203.

A few minutes later, the manager picked up his phone and dialled a number.

Scene: Highway.

Abhijeet had driven for about 3 hours and it was raining very heavily and visibility was poor. He decided to stop at a roadside dhaba and refresh himself.

After the short break, he started driving again but this time he noticed that the brakes weren't working. He decided to get off the highway and went into a jungle road, hoping there wouldn't be any oncoming traffic. But he was wrong...he saw another car coming from the opposite side and tried to avoid them. He veered off the road and went crashing downhill through the jungle. He could see flames from the engine, but lost consciousness before he could get out.

Luckily for Abhijeet it was raining heavily and the flames were put out before they roasted him alive.

 **Back to present.**

 **Scene : Bureau**

Daya: Sir Abhijeet parson raat ko lautne wala tha. Ab tak uski koi khabar nahi hai.

ACP: Phone ko trace kiya?

Daya: Haan sir...uska phone Nagpur mein kal subah on hua aur 5 minute baad switch off ho gaya.

ACP: Nagpur? Lekin Abhijeet toh Goa gaya tha, investigation ke liye.

Daya; Wohi toh sir...usne mujhe us din subah phone bhi kiya tha...ki woh Goa mein hai aur raat tak waapas aa jayega.

ACP: Toh achanak Nagpur mein kya kar raha hai? Tum Nagpur police ko Abhijeet ka photo bhejo aur dhoondne ko kaho.

 **Scene: Bureau**

Chitroley walks in.

ACP: Good morning sir

Chitroley: Main kya sunn raha hoon Pradyuman? Tumne minister ke bete Kumar ko arrest karke yahan rakha hai?

ACP: Arrest nahi sir...bas poochtach kar rae hain.

Chitroley: Main jaanta hoon tumhare poochtach' ka matlab kya hai.

ACP: Sir, yeh ek important case hai sir...hum jaante hain ki actress Reena ne suicide nahi kiya, minister Jai Kishan ne uska murder karvaya hai. Reena ka Kumar ke saath affair chal raha tha.

Chitroley: Yeh tumhe kaise pata?

ACP: Sir Abhijeet poochtach karne Goa gaya hai...aur use koi thos saboot bhi mili hai. woh aata hi hoga.

Chitroley: Lekin woh toh 2 dinn pehle aane wala tha...kab tak Kumar ko yahan qaid karoge? Oopar se pressure hai...chod do use.

Daya (comes out of interrogation room exactly then): Yeh kya keh rahe hain sir...hume yeh case solve karna hai.

Chitroley: Daya, tumhe maar-peet ke alava koi aur tareeka nahi aata case solve karne ka? Chod do Kumar ko, that's an order!

Daya lets Kumar leave. Chitroley too leaves.

Daya: Sir , aise chata raha toh hum koi bhi case solve nahi kar sakte.

ACP: Daya, humare paas saboot nahi hai...isliye hum use zyada der tak yahan nahi rakh sakte. Media ko pata chala toh humari dhajjiyan uda denge.

Freddie (comes in): Sir, maine Abhijeet sir ke phone ko trace kiya. Woh Goa se Mumbai aa rahe the, lekin raste mein ya toh signal nahi tha ya phone switch off ho gaya. Uske baad unka phone Nagpur city mein on hua aur aadhe ghante mein phir se switch off ho gaya.

ACP: Goa se Mumbai aa raha tha aur achanak Nagpur chala gaya?

Daya: Sir, agar woh kisi wajah se Abhijeet Nagpur jaata toh phone switch on karte hi hume zaroor batata. Aur woh phone ko phir se switch off kyon karega? Aur usne mujhe bataya tha ki woh seedha Mumbai hi aa raha hai.

ACP: Agar Abhijeet Goa se Nagpur gaya hai toh NH52/53 se hi gaya hoga. Kyonki 18 ghante mein uska phone wahan pohonch gaya. Kisi aur route se jaata toh zyada der lag jaati. Nagpur ke paas NH53 par jo toll booth hai, local police se kaho ki uss toll booth ka CCTV footage hume bhejein.

After a few hours.

Daya: sir, CCTV footage mil gaya aur Fredricks ne poora footage check kiya. Lekin Abhijeet ki gaadi Nagpur pohonchi hi nahi.

ACP: toh phir uska phone akele Nagpur kaise pohoncha?

Daya; Sir, mujhe kuch theek nahi lag raha hai, mujhe lagta hai Abhijeet ke phone ko koi aadmi churakar Nagpur laya aur switch on kiya taaki humein gumraah kar sake.

ACP: Ek kaam karo...tum aur Fredricks Goa jaao...aur dhoondo Abhijeet ko. Mujhe lagta hai raste mein hi uske saath kuch hua hai.

 **PART - 2**

 **Scene : Goa hotel**

Daya and Freddie reach the hotel to find a huge crowd gathered and local police investigating. Daya walks up to one of the cops and shows his ID.

Daya: Main Sr Insp Daya, Mumbai CID se hoon.

Cop: Main Insp Gaurav. (shakes hands)

Daya: Yahan kya hua?

Gaurav: Yahan ek aadmi ki maut hui hai...terrace se gir gaya hai.

Daya: Kya? Kaun hai woh?

Gaurav: Yahan ka bell boy hai.

Daya looks at the bell boy's body. His investigative mind tells him there's something wrong here. But decides to first find Abhijeet. He asks Freddie to just walk around the hotel to see if Abhijeet is there.

Daya(walks up to the manager): Yahan parson ek Mr Abhijeet thehre hue the. Aap bata sakte hain ki woh kahan hai?

Hotel Manager: Unhone toh 3 dinn pehle hi check out kiya tha.

Daya: silent

Hotel Manager: Kya hua sir?

Daya: Darasal woh Mumbai pohonchne wale the lekin gaayab hai. Hum unhe dhoond rahe hain.

Gaurav(who was investigating, suddenly catches the gayab' word): Kya hua officer? Kaun gaayab hain?

Daya(takes him aside): Sr Insp Abhijeet (shows the pic), yahan ek case ke silsile mein aaye the.

Gaurav: Kya aap us case ke baare mein bata sakte hain? Kya pata, iss aadmi ki maut ka aur Sr Insp Abhijeet ke lapata hone ke beech mein koi connection ho?

Freddie(who had joined the conversation): Kya matlab hai aapka? , aap kehna chahte hain ki Abhijeet sir ka iss aadmi ke maut ke saath koi taaluk hai?

Gaurav: Dekhiye, mujhe galat mat samjhiye...yahan ek crime hua hai. Aapka officer kisi aur crime ko investigate karne aaya tha...aur woh khud gayab hai. Humare profession mein coincidences' ke liye koi jagah nahi hai. Aap samajh rahe hain na?

Daya(gives him an understanding look and smiles): Haan, main samajhta hoon. Actually Reena naam ki ek TV actress hai. Uska khoon hua tha kuch dinn pehle. Hume pata chala ki maut ke ek dinn pehle woh apne boyfriend Kumar ke saath isi hotel mein aayi thi. Usi silsile mein Abhijeet yahan aaya tha.

Gaurav: Oh...hum aisa karte hain. Iss hotel mein jo bhi hua - hum uski tehkikaat karte hain. Aap Sr Insp Abhijeet ko dhoondiye. Iss case ke silsile mein hume jo bhi pata chalega, aapko batayenge.

Daya: Theek hai. Thank you.

Freddie: Sir maine entrance ke paas wale CCTV ke footage ko dekha. Abhijeet sir theek 10 baje yahan se nikal gaye the. Lekin sir...Meri samajh mein yeh nahi aa raha hai ki unka phone 10 baje se bandh kyon tha.

Daya : Mujhe yaad aaya. Abhijeet kuch dino se naya phone khareedne ki baat ka raha tha.

Freddie: Naya phone?

Daya: woh keh raha the ki uske phone ka battery weak ho gaya hai aur achanak apne aap off ho raha hai. Maine yeh bhi socha hum use ek naya phone gift karenge.

Freddie: Arey sir...toh us phone ko isi waqt fail hona tha?

Daya: Hmmm...woh drive kar raha tha, isliye notice nahi kiya ki phone off hai.

Freddie:Phir woh phone Nagpur kaise pohoncha sir?

Daya: Chura liya hoga kisi ne.

Freddie: Lekin Abhijeet sir ke haath se koi phone chori kaise kar sakta hai sir. Mujhe yeh namumkin kag raha hai.

Daya: Normally toh namumkin hai, lekin...(looks worried)

Freddie: Lekin kya sir.

Daya: Agar uske saath kuch bura hua hai toh...

Freddie: Aisa mat kahiye sir!

Daya(shows urgency): chalo Freddie!

 **Scene : Goa - Mumbai highway.**

Daya and Freddie visit each toll gate on the highway and check if Abhijeet had crossed the gate. Finally they reach a gate near Koganoli where the toll officers say that Abhijeet's car had not crossed the gate.

Daya: Freddie...Abhijeet 2 baje Belagavi toll booth cross kiya...lekin Koganoli nahi pohoncha. Iska matlab Belagavi aur Koganoli ke beech mein kahin kho gaya hai.

Freddie: Lekin sir...Belagavi aur Koganoli ke beech ka rasta 100 km hai. Aur hum wahin se toh aa rahe hain...unki gaadi kahin nahi mili.

Daya: hume phirse dhoondna hoga.

Daya drives back to Belagavi.

 **Scene : Mandangad**

Abhijeet woke up. It was still raining heavily. His back was still painful, but the Baidji had made a bandage which gave some support. He still couldn't get up.

He lay on the bed and tried to remember what was happening.

He was in Goa 3 days back investigating the Reena murder case...got a video which Reena had shot on her mobile, the Bell Boy had seen minister Jaikishan and his son Kumar (Reena's boyfriend) giving a bag (full of money, he guessed) to some goons...maybe to kill Reena...but he had heard 21 July in the video. But Reena was killed much earlier, which meant that Reena was not the target. Someone else was going to be killed on 21 July and it was just 4 days away. He had to stop it and the only way was to arrest Jaikishan and Kumar and interrogate them and in his present state he couldn't move. He couldn't even inform his team because there was no working phone in this village. His own phone was missing and there was no way of trying to find it. The video in question was with the Bell Boy in the Goa hotel. He decided that he had to get up and get to work.

Abhijeet: Suniye, koi hai?

A teenaged boy came in.

Abhijeet: Tum kaun ho?

Boy: Main Balwant.

Abhijeet: Balwant...mujhe yahan se jaana hai. Zara meri madad karo.

Balwant: Nahi saab, Baidji ne kaha hai ki aapko 3 dinn lete rehna hai.

Abhijeet: Chodo baid ji ko...mujhe isi waqt Mumbai pohonchna hai. Please...zara haath do mujhe.

Balwant unwillingly holds Abhijeet's hands and Abhijeet tries to get up. He sits up, puts an arm on Balwant's shoulder and takes 2 steps but then his back gives way and he falls down.

Within minutes Shankar and the Baidji come into the room.

Baid ji: Balwant...Maine kaha tha na tumse...ki inhe uthne mat dena?

Balwant: Lekin, baid ji...yeh meri baat nahi maan rahe hain.

Shankar: Dekho beta...humari baat mano aur 3 dinn yahin lete raho. Uske baad tum chal paaoge.

Abhijeet: Aahh...aap m..meri baat samajhne ki k...koshish kijiye. Mujhe isi waqt Mumbai pohonchna hai. Warna gadbad ho gayegi.

Shankar: Kaisi gadbad?

Abhijeet: Woh..main aapko bata nahi sakta...lambi kahani hai.

Shankar looks at the Baidji and Balwant and tells them by expressions to go out. They both leave.

Shankar: Aisi kya museebat aa padi hai ki tumhe jaane ki itni jaldi hai? Jaante ho? Mumbai jaane ka rasta bandh hai...baarish ki wajah se.

Abhijeet: Kuch kijiye mukhiya ji...Mujhe apne team ko phone karna hai.

Shankar: Tum baar baar team ki baat kar rahe ho...apne parivaar se baat nahi karni hai kya tumhe?

Abhijeet: nahi...mera koi nahi hai.

Shankar: Kya?

Abhijeet: Haan...mera team hi mera parivaar hai.

Shankar: Team? Kaunsa team? Koi cricket ya football khelte ho kya tum?

Abhijeet: Nahi...main ek CID officer hoon.

Shankar: Tum...police wale ho?

Abhijeet: Haan...main ek case ke silsile mein Goa gaya tha...aur raste mein mera accident ho gaya. 21 July ko ...kuch hone wala hai...mujhe use rokna hai. Isliye mujhe isi waqt jaana padega.

Shankar: Post office ka phone abhi tak theek nahi hua hai...pata nahi kab theek karenge use.

Ek kaam karo...tum mujhe apne kisi saathi ka number do, Main Balwant ko paas wale gaon me bhejkar phone karvata hoon.

Abhijeet: bohot bohot Shukriya. Unke numbers likhiye...9757993333 - Daya. Aur 9658966663 - ACP Pradyuman. Unhe kahiye ki July 21 ko kuch hone wala hai aur hume use rokna hai.

Abhijeet knew that ACP and Daya would understand what that meant...and he didn't want to talk about murder and supari here.

 **Scene : Highway, near Belagavi toll booth.**

Freddie: Ab hum yahan se kahan doondenge sir?

Daya: Freddie, yeh jagah Goa se 100 km ki doori par hai. Goa se Abhijeet 10 baje ko nilka tha aur yahan sirf 2 baje ko pohoncha. Abhijeet highway par normally 80-100 km/hr speed par chalata hai...toh use 4 ghante kyon lagi yahan pohonchne mein?

Freddie: Woh kahin lunch ke liye ruke honge sir.

Daya: Lunch ke liye agar ruka hota toh bhi woh 1/2 ghante se zyada nahi rukta.

He walks to the toll booth officer and asks kya 3 dinn pehle yahan baarish hui thi?'

Toll officer : Haan sir...bohot zor se baarish hui thi...road bilkul dikhayi nahi de raha tha.

Daya(walks away): Suna tumne...zor se baarish ho rahi thi. Isliye Abhijeet bohot dheere gaadi chala raha tha.

Main yahan se gaadi dheere chalata hoon. Tum aas paas dekhte raho.

Daya starts off again in reverse direction towards Koganoli.

After driving for about 45 minutes,

Freddie: Sir...

Daya: Kya hai?

Freddie: Sir...mujhe bohot bhook lagi hai sir...wahan ek dhaaba hai...

Daya: Abhijeet lapata hai...pata nahi uske saath kya hua hai...au tumhe iss waqt khaane ki padi hai, Freddie...?

Freddie: Sir...bas ek vada pav aur chai lete hain sir. Bas 5 minute.

Daya: Hmmm...chalo.

Freddie went to the stall to buy the stuff and Daya waited near the parking spot, thinking. It was highly likely that Abhijeet might have stopped at this spot to refresh himself. He walked towards the dhaba.

Freddie: Sir...maine aapke liye bhi vada pav khareeda hai sir...pehle aap khayiye...main drive karta hoon.

Daya: Ek minute Freddie...

He goes to the guy near the counter and shows Abhijeet's photo.

Kya aapne iss aadmi ko 3 dinn pehle yahan dekha?

Guy near the counter: Sir, yahan bohot saare log aate hain...ab kis kis ko yaad rakhenge?

Daya: Zara yaad karne ki koshish kijiye. Dopahar ko 3 baje ke aaas paas...bohot zor se baarish ho rahi thi uss din...shayad bohot kum customers aaye honge.

Counter guy(checks his billing system): Uss dinn dopahar 3 baje ke aas paas ko sirf 2 customers aaye the. Ek ne vada pav aur masala chai liya tha aur doosre ne sirf adrak wali chai aur ek plain pav li thi. Mujhe thoda ajeeb laga.

Waiter: Haan sir...Mujhe bhi yaad hai...maine unse kaha bhi..ki humara vada pav bohot famous hai, lekin unhone kaha ki woh sirf plain pav khayenge.

Freddie: Sir...Abhijeet sir vada pav nahi khaate...kyonki vade mein alu hai.

Daya: Haan Freddie...iska matlab Abhijeet yahan tak toh aaya tha. Chalo aage dekhte hain.

 **Flashback:**

Abhijeet finished his plain pav and tea. He then went to the washroom. The other guy who was following him from Goa walked towards Abhijeet's car and disconnected the brakes. No one noticed as it was raining and the cars were parked in the backyard of the dhaba. He started off his own car and went ahead, hoping he would see Abhijeet's out-of-control car soon.

Abhijeet came out and looked at his phone. It was off again. He was sick of this annoying habit of his 2-year old phone and swore to buy one as soon as he reached Mumbai. He turned it on, but it wouldn't catch a signal. He also noticed that the video which he had tried whatsapping to Daya from Goa was still stuck with a Retry' message. He decided to quickly reach an area where there would be a proper signal.

He started the car but realised that something was terribly wrong with it. He drove for a km wondering how to stop the car and noticed a BMW ahead and it was the one which was also there at the dhaba. He wondered if this guy had something to do with it, but first he had to get off the highway and avoid the heavy traffic.

(The rest is known to the reader)

Back to present.

Daya drove for sometime and stopped at a point.

Freddie: Kya hua sir?

Daya: Hum teesri baar iss raste se jaa rahe hain. Hum jald hi Koganoli pohonch jaayenge. Mujhe nahi lagta highway mein ghoomne se koi fayda hoga. Humein koi aur idea sochna padega.

Exactly at that moment his phone rang.

Daya: Hello?

Balwant: Kya aap Daya ji hain?

 **PART - 3**

Daya: Haan, main Sr Insp Daya hoon.

Balwant: Main Balwant hoon. Mandangad mein rehta hoon. Aapko phone karne ke liye Akola aaya hoon.

Daya(something told him this was about Abhijeet): Ok...aage bolo.

Balwant: Abhijeet naam ka aadmi humare gaon mein hain. Unka accident hua hai.

Daya: Accident?

Freddie: Accident? Kiska sir?

Daya(into the phone): Woh zinda hai?

Balwant: Haan ji, woh zinda hai. Lekin unki kamar ki haddi tooti hai aur woh uth nahi paa rahe hain.

Daya: OMG...mujhe usse baat karni hai. Phone do use.

Balwant: darasal humare gaon mein mobile signal nahi hai. Main 15 km door doosre gaon me aakar phone kar raha hoon. Unhone appse yeh kehne ko kaha hi July 21 ko kuch hone wala hai aur use rokna hai.

Daya: Kya hone wala hai?

Balwant: Yeh toh unhone nahi bataya.

Daya: Achcha, theek hai. Phone karne ke liye shukriya. Abhijeet se kaho ki hum log wahan jald hi pohonch jayenge.

Cuts the call.

Freddie: Kya hua sir? Abhijeet sir ka accident hua?

Daya: Haan Freddie. Hume Mandangad gaon pohonchna hai.

Freddie: Yeh kahan hai sir?

Daya: Google map dekho Freddie.

Freddie: Sir Google map nahi khul raha hai. Mera phone toh 2G signal dikha raha hai.

Daya: Kisi se poochte hain.

After a few hours of driving with instructions from local villagers Daya reaches the road which goes towards Mandangad and finds that the road is blocked midway due to a landslide.

Daya (walks to a forest officer standing nearby): yahan se Mandangad kitni door hai?

Forest officer: Yahan se 15 km hai lekin landslide ki wajah se road bandh hai.

Daya: Paidal chalne ka koi rasta?

Forest officer: Paidal toh jungle se hi jaana padega...woh dekiye...(points towards a valley between 2 hills) aapko yahan se neeche utarkar uss pahad par chadna hoga. Yeh road jo hai - 5 km ghoom phir kar wahin aake milega. Wahan se aage 10 km aap chaklar jaa sakte hain.

 **.**

(Just to give you a picture...they had to climb down from the road into the valley below and climb back up till the road shown by the black arrow. )

Daya(looks at the valley): Yeh road kab tak khulega? Aapko koi idea hai?

Forest officer: Kam se kam 10 dinn toh lagenge...agar beech mein fir se baarish nahi hui toh.

Daya: Hum yeh gaadi yahin chod rahe hain. Zara dhyan rakhna.

Forest officer: Dekhiye..main bas mazaak kar raha tha. Yeh trekking season bhi nahi hai aur aapke paas koi trekking ka samaan bhi nahi hai.

Daya(shows his ID): Hum CID officers hain. Hume kisi bhi tarah Mandangad pohonchna hai.

Daya and Freddie get down the mountainous path and reach the bottom. There they find Abhijeet's half burnt car hidden among the trees.

Daya: Iss gaadi ki haalat dekhkhar toh mujhe lagta hai Abhijeet ki kismat achchi thi ki woh zinda bach gaya.

Freddie: Lekin Abhijeet sir iss road par kya karne aaye the? Woh toh seedha Mumbai aane wale the...aur unka accident kaise hua?

Daya(checks the bonnet): Freddie, iss gaadi ki brakes fail kar di gayi hai. Abhijeet us dhaabe tak toh pohonch gaya tha aur gaadi ko park bhi kiya...matlab tab tak brakes theek hi the. Jab woh dhaabe mein tha, tab kisi ne brakes ke saath ched chaad ki hai.

Freddie: Zarroo woh doosra aadmi hoga sir...vada pav aur masala chai wala.

Daya: Haan...lagta hai Goa se peecha kar raha tha Abhijeet ka. Aur jab Abhijeet ko pata chala ki brakes fail ho gayi hai, tab woh turn lekar iss road par aaya, kyonki aage chadhaav hai, toh shayad gaadi slow down ho jaaye.

Freddie: Lekin chadhaav tak pohonchne se pehle hi unka accident ho gaya.

Daya: Ajeeb baat hai..jisne bhi Abhijeet ka phone churaya, yahan neeche aakar phone churakar Nagpur ki ore chala gaya. Matlab Abhijeet ke phone mein kuch aisa tha, jo woh nahi chahta tha ki CID ke haath lag jaye.

Freddie: Ab woh kya tha, yeh toh Abhijeet sir hi bata sakte hain.

Daya: Iss gaadi ko hum baad mein chek karte hain...shaam ho gayi hai...hume gaon pohonchna hai.

Freddie: Iss suitcase ko uthakar toh hum oopar nahi chad sakte sir.

Daya: Suitcase ko yahin chod do...main 2-3 pants aur shirts apne backpack mein rakh leta hoon.

Daya and Freddie climbed up the hill on the other side and finally reached the road. Then they walked for another 10 km and reached Mandangad late at night. They located Shankar's home where Abhijeet was staying.

There was no power and only a small lamp was lit in Shankar's house. Daya and Freddie introduced themselves and walked into Abhijeet's room.

Abhijeet was fast asleep when he heard Daya calling out his name. He opened his eyes and thought he was dreaming.

Daya(tapped his shoulder) : Abhijeet!

 **Part - 4 (concluding part)**

Abhijeet(woke up and realised that he was not dreaming): Daya, Freddie tum dono yahan!

Daya: Haan, boss. Yeh kya haalat bana rakhi hai tumne?

Abhijeet: Itni jaldi kaise aa gaye tum dono?

Daya: hum log tumhe dhoondhte dhoondte uss dhabe tak pohonch gaye the jahan se tumne plain pav aur adrak chai li thi.

Abhijeet: Bohot accha lag raha hai tumhe yahan dekhkar. Lekin tum dono yahan pohonche kaise? Yeh log toh keh rahe hain ki landslide hua hai aur road bandh hai.

Freddie: Hum dono do pahaadon ke beech trekking karke aa rahe hain sir!

Abhijeet: Trekking! Iss mausam mein...jaate ho kitna khatarnaak hai?

Daya(smiles): Rehne do boss. Humari chodo...tum bataao...kaise ho?

Abhijeet: Dekh rahe ho na...lagta hai fracture hai. Lekin yahan koi hospital nahi hai jahan X Ray nikaal sake.. Yahan ke baid ji mera ilaaj kar rahe hain. Bina anesthesia ke...bina painkillers ke.

Daya: Omg, bohot dard ho raha hoga tumhe... Mere paas pain killers hain...filhaal inhe le lo...aur so jaao. Main doosre gaon jaakar ACP sir ko phone karke aata hoon. Yahan signal tower nahi hai. Freddie, tum yahin raho.

Abhijeet: Daya, ek minute...mujhe tumse kuch kehna hai.

Daya: Ab tum aaraam karo. Main sambhal loonga.

Abhijeet: Nahi...meri baat suno...July 21 ko kuch hone wala hai.

Daya: Kya?

Abhijeet: Woh toh theek se pata nahi. Mere phone mein ek video tha. Use recording studio mein le jaakar analyse karna padega.

Daya: Lekin tumhara phone toh Nagpur mein hai.

Abhijeet: Nagpur?

Daya: Haan...(and explains how they had detected the signal in Nagpur)

Abhijeet: Lekin mera phone toh mere paas gaadi mein hi tha. Phir woh Nagpur kaise pohoncha?

Daya: Tumhe lagta hai in logon mein se koi...?

Abhijeet: Nahi Daya. Yeh log bohot achche hain...mere jaise anjaan aadmi ki jaan bachayi hai in logo ne. Mujhe lagta hai koi Goa se mera peecha kar raha tha. Aur usine gaadi ki brakes fail kar di.

Koi baat nahi...Goa ke hotel mein ek Bell Boy hai. Uske paas uss video ka copy hai. Usse le lenge.

Daya: Boss...Bell boy mar chuka hai.

Abhijeet: Kya!?

Daya: Haan...hum Goa se hi aa rahe hain. Uss video mein aisa tha kya?

Abhijeet explains what he had heard from the Bell Boy and the fact that minister JaiKishan and his son Kumar had given a supari to someone...not sure who and that someone was going to be killed on 21 July. Reena probably heard the name of the person who was going to be killed, so they had killed her and also the Bell boy as he had told a CID officer about it.

Daya: Main ACP sir ko batakar aata hoon.

Abhijeet: Sambhalkar jaana...15 km hai.

Daya returns well after midnight.

Daya: Boss, maine ACP saab ko July 21 ke baare mein bata diya... Aur maine Goa ke Insp Gaurav se pata kiya. Uss Bell Boy ka phone bhi gayab hai.

Freddie: Sir Reena ke mobile se shayad video mil sakti hai.

Daya: Reena ka mobile humare custody mein pehle se hi hai. Hume usme koi video nahi mili. Aur kisi saboot ke bina hum minister aur uske bete ko arrest nahi kar sakte.

Abhijeet: Hum yahan baithkar kuch nahi kar sakte. Kal subah hote hi Mumbai ke liye nikalte hain.

Daya: Hum' nahi. Sirf main jaaonga. Tum iss halat mein jungle mein trekking kaise karoge? Freddie, tum yahin raho, iske saath. Jab road khul jayega, tab main Mumbai se ambulance bhejta hoon.

Abhijeet: Lekin...

...but Daya walks out without listening. Abhijeet thinks for a few seconds and tells Freddie

Freddie, tum bhi Daya ke saath jao. Case solve karna zyada zaroori hai. Main yahin rukta hoon'.

Freddie: Lekin sir...aap yahan akele kaise rahenge?

Abhijeet: Main akela nahi hoon...yeh log bohog achche hain...4-5 dinn ki toh baat hai...road theek hote hi main aa jaaonga. Ab tum dono so jaao.

Freddie: Theek hai sir...lekin apna khayal rakhna.

At 3AM Abhijeet woke up. He saw both Daya and Freddie fast asleep. They had a very rough day and were really tired.

He pushed himself up with his elbows. His back still hurt but not as bad as 2 days back. Daya's painkillers were helping too. He held onto the window beside him and hauled himself up. He walked very slowly to the next room where Shankar was sleeping and knocked gently on the door.

Shankar(opens the door): Arey tum? Is waqt? Baidji ne kaha na...ki zyada der khade mat rehna? Baitho...

Abhijeet: Mujhe kal waapas jaana hai.

Shankar: Tum iss halat mein kaise jaaoge beta?

Abhijeet: Aapke paas koi gaadi hai?

Shankar: Mere paas toh nahi hai lekin woh Lalith yahan tourist taxi chalata hai...uske paas gaadi hai.

Abhijeet: Aap Lalith se kahiye ki...

(explains his plan)

Shankar: Bohot ziddi ho tum...bilkul mere bete ke jaisa.

Abhijeet: Lekin aapka beta hai kahan?

Shankar: Ek accident mein maara gaya - 3 saal pehle.

Abhijeet( after a couple of minutes): Aapka ehsaan main kabhi nahi bhooloonga. Aapke saath yahan rehkar mujhe bohot achcha laga, kabhi bhi meri zaroorat pade toh mujhe zaroor phone kijiye. Main zaroor aapse milne waapas aaoonga.

Shankar smiles.

Next day morning, Daya and Freddie got ready. Balwant was ready with his bike. He was asked to drop them off at the place where they could get down the hill and then climb back to the place where the CID vehicle was parked.

Daya (came into Abhijeet's room): Dhayaan rakhna boss. Main jald hi waapas aaoonga.

Abhijeet: Hmm...

Daya: Kya hua? Bohot restless lag rahe ho...

Abhijeet: Nahi...bas...case ke baare mein soch raha tha. Tum jaao. Good luck.

Daya: Sure?

Abhijeet: Haan, sure...

Daya wasn't convinced...he looked at Freddie.

Freddie: Sir, main ruk jaaon?

Abhijeet: Nahi Freddie...tum Daya ke saath jaao, main theek hoon.

Daya walked out...He looked back at Abhijeet and sensed something wrong. But he didn't want to waste any more time, so he and Freddie sat on Balwant's bike and started off towards the downward trekking point.

 **Scene : Downward trekking point**

Daya, Freddie and Balwant reached the point where they could climb down the hill to reach the road. They took a long time as there were 2 well-built pillion riders. Balwant dropped them and went his way.

Freddie(shouts): Daya sir! Woh dekhiye! Abhijeet sir!

Abhijeet was already there, sitting with his back resting against a tree.

Daya: Abhijeet!

(runs towards him)

Tum yahan kaise pohonche?

Abhijeet: Main yahan car mein aaya.

Daya remembered a white Indica overtaking them some time back but Abhijeet had hidden himself well, so they hadn't seen him.

Daya: Yeh kya pagalpan hai Abhijeet! Tumne aisa kyon kiya?

Abhijeet: Agar main pehle batata toh tum mujhe aane se mana karte.

Daya: Nahi Abhijeet, tum waapas jaao.

Abhijeet: Car aur bike, dono chale gaye hain...ab tum mujhe yahan sadak pe chodkar jaa sakte ho ya neeche utarne mein meri madad kar sakte ho.

Daya: Abhijeet! Tum bhi! Main ACP sir ko complain karoonga.

Abhijeet: Zaroor kar lena. Lekin uske liye tumhe pehle Mumbai pohonchna padega.

Daya: Tum nahi sudhroge!

Daya and Freddie helped him get on to his feet and began the downward trek. Abhijeet's back was hurting badly but the village Baid ji had made a bandage which reduced the strain. Both Daya and Freddie took turns helping Abhijeet walk through the sloping path. They took 5 hours to complete the trek as Abhijeet had to take frequent breaks...but they finally accomplished the long trek. Daya and Freddie helped Abhijeet sit in the front seat of the Innova in reclined position. The started off for Mumbai.

 **Scene: Mumbai hospital.**

Abhijeet woke up to see himself in front of a hospital with a stretcher waiting for him.

Daya: Chalo boss...

Abhijeet: Yeh kya! Pehle case solve hone do.

Daya: Main bhi ziddi hoon. Dr se kehkar yahin neend ka injection lagva doonga.

Abhijeet decides to give in and tells him pehle mujhe ek naya phone aur mere number ka duplicate SIM card laake do'

Abhijeet is wheeled off for X Ray and tests and the doctors say that there is a fracture but it had already started healing, thanks to the Baidji in the village. He's advised to stay in the hospital for a couple of days.

Scene : Bureau

CID team questioning JaiKishan and Kumar

ACP: Bataao...kiski supaari de rahe the tum?

Jaikishan: Main ek minister hoon. Mujhpar jhoota ilzaam nahi laga sakte tum.

Daya; humare paas ek video hai, jisme tum kisi ko ek bag dete dikhayi de rahe ho

Jaikishan: Maine bag diya! Kya saboot hai ki woh supari hai? Usme sirf property ke paise the. Maine DCP ko phone kar diya hai...tum sabko suspend karva doonga!

ACP(calls Daya aside): Uss video ka koi copy mila?

Daya; Nahi sir...woh sirf Abhijeet, Reena aur Bell boy ke phones mein the. Maine toh bas aise hi keh diya...

ACP: hume inn dono ko chodna padega...jab tak woh video humare haath nahi lagti, hum in dono ko arrest nahi kar sakte.

Daya; Lekin unhone supari kiski di hogi?

ACP: Yehi toh pata karna hai.

Freddie: Sir, shayad iss Kumar ko koi blackmail kar raha hai, Reena ko lekar?

ACP: Aur Abhijeet ka peecha kaun kar raha tha? Aur kyon?

Daya is silent for a minute and looks thoughtful.

ACP: Kya hua Daya?

Daya: Sir,, ek baat hai. Jab main Goa mein poochtach kar raha tha, toh maine hotel manager se poocha ki Abhijeet naam ka guest wahan thehra hua hai kya.

ACP: Haan, toh?

Daya: toh usne bina register dekhe hi bata diya ki Abhijeet ne 3 dinn pehle check out kiya. Use Abhijeet ka naam kaise yaad hain sir?

ACP: Tumhe lagta hai yeh manager kuch jaanta hai?

Daya; ho sakta hai sir. Main Insp Gaurav ko phone karta hoon.

...

...

After some time...

Daya: Sir, insp Gaurav ne phone kiya. Unhe saboot mil chuki hai ki manager ne hi bell boy ko terrace se fenk diya. Aur woh manager iss waqt gayab hai.

ACP: Yeh case toh ulajhta jaa raha hai. Kisi tarah woh video humare haath lagna chahiye. Aaj toh 20th. Sirf 1 dinn hai humare paas.

 **Scene: Hospital**

Daya(explains everything to Abhijeet.); Uss video ke bina hum kuch nahi kar sakte.

Abhijeet(thinks for some time): ek minute Daya!

Daya: kya?

Abhijeet: Mere phone mein maine automatic back up set up kiya hai. Jab wifi connection available hota hai, tab mere sare files Dropbox mein back up ho jaate hain. Bell boy mujhe video forward karne ke baad main hotel mein aur aadha ghanta ruka tha. Room no 203 check kar raha tha. Toh ho sakta hai woh file DropBox mein ho?

Daya: Yeh lo mera phone...check karo jaldi. (Abhijeet's new phone was not properly configured)

Abhijeet enters his login information and to their relief, the video is backed up on DropBox!

They play it but the voice is very feeble.

Daya; Main isi waqt recording studio le jaakar ise enhance karta hoon.

Abhijeet: All the best. Mujhe inform karo.

Scene: Bureau

Daya plays the video. They clearly make out the words 21 July' and camera man khatam'.

ACP: Camera man khatam? Iska kya matlab hai? Kaunsa camera man?

Daya: Shayad kisi function mein koi camera man bankar kisi ka khoon karne wala hai.

ACP: pata karo ki is Jaikishan ke friends circle mein koi function hone wali hai kya.

...

...

Daya: Sir Jaikishan July 21 ko 4 functions attend karne wala hai.

ACP: Charon functions mein aisa koi hai jisse Jaikishan ki dushmani hai?

Daya: Kehna mushkil hai sir. Sabhi functions ke guest lists check karne padenge.

 **Scene : July 21, bureau**

ACP: Ab tak koi suraag nahi mila!

Freddie: Mujhe lagta hai hume is Jaikishan ke functions mein ghuskar uss par nazar rakhna padega.

ACP: Lekin yeh bhi toh ho sakta hai ki kisi aur function mein camera man kisi ka khoon karne wala hai. Socho Freddie, agar kisi ka khoon karvana hai woh aisi jagah par kyon karvayega jahan woh khud maujood hai?

Daya: hum sheher ke saare functions toh rukwa nahi sakte na sir.

ACP: Socho, socho...koi baat hai jo humse choot rahi hai.

Abhijeet is updated of the case status on phone. He too keeps wondering where the incident is about to happen. He looks at the news paper casually and finds a sentence If SBI had bought Citi, Uncle Sam would probably own SBI too. Or rather Citi would, not that it is out of government control. It would have been a disaster.'

He sees that US' is nicknamed as Uncle Sam...and then it strikes him! He immediately phones ACP.

ACP; Haan Abhijeet, tum theek ho?

Abhijeet: Sir main theek hoon, mujhe pata chal gaya hai ki Camera Man ka matlab kya hai.

ACP: Kya?

Abhijeet: Sir Camera man matlab Chief minister...sir Chief minister saab ka khoon hone wala hai.

 **Scene: A school where CM is about to hoist the flag.**

The CID team reaches the location and each team member starts scanning the surroundings, but find nothing.

Daya gets onto the stage and checks the dias for any explosives. He suddenly comes upon what look like tiny needles on the floor near the loudspeaker. Something strikes him and he opens the microphone to reveal a spring set up which would release a tiny needle into the heart of the person holding it...and it was meant for the CM!

Daya looks at the audio engineer' who starts running away. CID team chases and catches him. He gets a hard slap and is brought to the bureau along with minister JaiKishan.

Abhijeet receives the picture of the assassin and immediately recognises him as the guy who was present at the dhaba.

The minister is forced to admit that he wanted the CM dead as he was the senior guy and was unfairly sidelined. He's put behind bars for attempt to assassinate the CM and also for getting Reena murdered.

 **Epilogue:**

 **Scene : Bureau**

Abhijeet walks into the bureau in style.

ACP: Aao Abhijeet, kaise ho tum ab?

Abhijeet: Bas, zyada der khade rehne par dard hota hai sir...Dr ne exercise aur physiotherapy prescribe kiya hai. Keh raha hai ki 1 mahine mein chala jayega.

ACP: Abhijeet, Daya...case abhi bhi khatam nahi hua hai...tum logon ko phirse Goa jaana padega...uss hotel manager ko pakadne.

Daya: Achcha hai sir...Abhijeet ko 3-4 dinn ke liye baidji ke paas chod denge...2 din mein woh aur uske 2 pehelwaan Abhijeet ke kamar ko theek kar denge. (evil expression)

Abhijeet(remembered the experience): Nahiii!

 ***** THE END *****


End file.
